Saba is the new balsamic

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Dried plums, pears, spice, and smoke are all flavors in Cavedoni Saba ($25 to $30 for 8.5 ounces), a sweet, syrupy condiment made from the cooked-down must, or pressed juice, of wine grapes and barrel-aged for six months. The family-run company, started in 1860 near Modena, Italy, is best known for high-quality balsamic vinegars. Saba is made with the same prime grapes, then enriched with quince, cinnamon, and cloves. Drizzle it into a soup, sauce, or salad dressing, or over a salty cheese, fruit, or ice cream. The dense syrup lends a nuanced flavor rather than a sugary sweetness. It’s an extravagance, but a little goes a long way. Available at Bacco’s Wine + Cheese, 31 St. James Ave., Boston, 617-574-1751; Martignetti Liquors, 1650 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton, 617-782-3700; Wasik’s The Cheese Shop, 61 Central St., Wellesley, 781-237-0916; Lula’s Pantry, 5 Dock Square, Rockport, 978-546-0010.

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